Spring-gun.



lPatented Dot. 7, |902'.

S. DANIELS. SPRING Gun. (Application filed Oct. 2 5, 1901..)

(No Model.)

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FASI??? @MNM Q ww www N UNITED STATEs PATENT OEETCE.

SAMUEL DANIELS, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES C.REEDER, OF HARVEY, ILLINOIS.

SPRING-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 710,437, dated October7, 1902.

Application iiled October 25, 1901. Serial No. 79,974. (No model.)

To al?, 1071/0711, it nt/,Ly concern,.-

Be itknown that I, SAMUEL DANIELS, a citizen of the United States,residing` at Harvey, in the count;T of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Spring-Gun, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to spring-guns.

The object is to present a toy pistol composed of a few number of parts,which in operation will be effective for discharging a projectile withconsiderable force, the projectile to be of such construction as to heharmless in use that is to say, which will not inict injury or breakarticles of glassware should the same be struck thereby.v

A further object is to provide a pistol having a novel form of triggeradapted to be set by the cartridge-projecting mechanism when the same isplaced in condition to expel the projectile.

A further object is to provide a novel form of operating means forholding the projectile within the barrel of the pistol when the same isbeing operated to place the actuating-spring at a tension orcompression.

Vith these and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature ofthe invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts ofa toy pistol and a projectiletherefor, as will be hereinafterfully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a .part of this specication, andin which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts, thereis illustrated one form of ernbodiment of the invention, together with.a slightly-modified form thereof,capable of carrying the same intopractical operation, it being understood that the elements thereinexhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exactmanner of assem blage without departing from the scope of the invention,and in these drawings- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly insection, of one form of embodiment of the invention, the parts beingexhibited in loaded position. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view,partly broken away, of the barrel shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view,similar to Fig.,l, of a modied form ofconstruction. Fig. lis a view inrear elevation. Fig. 5'is a similar View in front elevation. Fig. 6 is aview in perspective of the projectile.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the stock or handle of thepistol, the same being made of Cast metal, in two parts, and heldassembled by screws 2, the latter being shown in section inv Figs.v land 3 and disposed one in the handle portion and one through anextension 3 of the handle, said extension constituting a barrel guideand support. rlhe barrel t is mounted for sliding movement between theguides formed by the extensions 3, the latter being disposed partiallyto inclose the barrel by inward-curved extensions 5, as clearly shown inFig. 5, and by two curved lugs or bosses 6, disposed at the top' ot thehandle, as clearly shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4. The barrel is providednear its rear end and in horizontal alinement with two slots 7, throughwhich passes a screw or pin S, which serves the triple function of ameans for limiting the longitudinal movement of the barrel, a pivot forthe trigger 9, and an abutment or stop for the actuatingspring 10, inaddition to which it also serves to hold the sections ot" the handlemore securely assembled. `The trigger 9 is' provided with the usualyfinger-piece l()1L and with a dog ll, provided at its front end with abarb l2 to engage the projectile 13 and hold the same within the barrelagainst the pressure of the spring lO, as clearly shown inFig. l. Therear portion Yol the trigger adjacent to the pivot Sis provided with ashoulder 14, against which the actuating-spring bears, whereby upon thecompression of the spring the barbed end of the trigger will be thrownupward, thus to engage and hold the projectile in the barrel, as will'presently' appear. The under side of the barrel is provided with alongitudinal slot 15, in which the finger-piece of the trigger works,thereby to permit thel barrel to be pushed rearward in the handle, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3.'

In the form of pistol shown in Fig. l the projectile is held againstthespring by the thumb of the operator, and this operates successfnllywhere the barrel is of short length, as shown in Fig. l; but where thebarrel is of considerable length, as shown in Fig. 3, anautomatically-operating means lis provided for engaging the projectileto hold/ it -seated against the spring, while the barrel isbeing pushedbackward to place the spring under compression. -The means comprises aspring- ICO IOS

van orifice 19 in the barrel and in front of the projectile, as will beunderstood by reference to Fig. 3. The upper surface of the extension 3is provided with a recess 20, in which the arm 16 moves when the barrelis pushedbackward, the outer end of the extension being beveled orinclined at 21 to ride against the said arm, and thus force the toe intothe orifice 19. The trigger mechanism in the form of pistol shown inFig. 3 is the same as that shown in Fig. 1, and in both instances theemployment of a trigger-spring is rendered unnecessary, as theactuating-spring 10, by contact with the shoulder14, serves to throw thetrigger in the proper direction to cause it to engage withtheprojectile. By dispensing with the employment ofthe trigger-spring thecost of production of the pistol is reduced and liability of derangementin use correspondingly reduced, the operating-spring 10 effectingactuation of the trigger in a positive and thoroughly efficient manner.It will be obvious that, if desired, a trigger-spring may be employed,and as its manner of application to position and the mode of itsoperation will be obvious illustration is deemed unnecessary.

The projectile 13, to which reference has been made, comprises a hollowmetallic shell 22, preferably of the same diameter throughout its lengthand having its butt provided with an orifice 23 and aninwardly-extending annular ange 23a to be engaged by the barb l2-of thedog 11, the front of the shell being contracted, as at 24, to engage andsecure a tip 25, constructed, preferably, of rubber orsome otheryielding substance. The manner herein shown of assembling the tip withthe shell will be found thoroughly effective in use; but it is to beunderstood that the invent-ion is not to be limited to this precisemanner of arrangement, as the parts may be otherwise assembled, as bybeing cemented together or having a pin passed through the shell and thetip, without departing from the invention, and as this will be obviousand is well known detailed illustration is deemed unnecessary.

In loading the pistol shown in Fig. 1 the projectile is slipped into thebarrel and will rest upon the front coil of the spring 10, as shown inFig. 3. The thumb of the operator is then placed over the end of themuzzle and the barrel pushed backward, the tip of the projectile bearingagainst the thumb and the butt compressing the spring. As the spring iscompressed its rear coil hy contact with the shoulder 14 throws the dog11 upward, so that when the flange of the oriiice 23 of the shellcontacts with vthe barb the dog will first be depressed and again thrownupward, when the shoulder of the barb clears the flange of the orifice,whereupon the projectile will be locked in the barrel. To release theprojectile, it will only be necessary to pull the trigger in the usualmanner. The tip being of rubber, as before stated, will render itharmless, so that the toy may be used indoors with impunity and withoutany danger of injury either to individuals or to glassware.

In loading the form of pistol shown in Fig. 3 the projectile is slippedinto the barrel and as the barrel is pushed rearward the toe of the arm16 is forced in front of the tip, and thus holds the projectile againstthe spring in the same manner as the thumb of the operator does inloading the form of pistol shown in Fig. 1. In both cases after theprojectile has been engaged by the barb of the dog the barrel is drawnforward to its normal position and is stopped when it reaches the same.by coaction between the pin S and the rear wall of the slot 7.

The device of this invention is exceedingly simple of construction andmay therefore be constructed and sold at a low figure, and by reason ofthe fact that it will be safe in use it will recommend itself to parentsdesiring to provide their children with a toy pistol adapted for targetpractice.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A toy pistol com prisinga handle, a barrel mounted for slidingmovement thereon, a spring housed in the barrel, and a trigger providedwith means for engaging and holding the projectile against the stress ofthe spring, the trigger being brought to operative position withrelation to the projectile by the cornpression of the spring.

2. A toy pistol comprising a handle supporting a slidable barrel, atrigger provided with a barb and with a shoulder, and a projectile-actuatin g spring housed within the barrel and bearing at itsrear end against the shoulder, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. A toypistol comprisinga handle, a barrel supported for slidingmovement thereon, a trigger provided with a projectile-engaging barb, aprojectile-actuating spring housed within the barrel and bearing at itsrear end against the trigger to move the same into proper position toengage the projectile, and proj ectile-e ngaging means carried by thebarrel and brought into operative relation with the projectile when thebarrel is moved to compress the spring.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto a'lxedmy signature in the presence ofrtwo witnesses.

SAMUEL DANIELS.

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